Personal Knowledge Management Self-Assessment

Introduction

This self-assessment instrument is intended to help you determine how
comfortable you feel with your information and idea management skills. It is
organized into seven competencies as listed at the beginning of each section.
Each competency has 10 sub-competencies. The seven main competencies have been
adapted for this self-assessment from work done by Paul Dorsey, Millikin
University, Decatur, IL.

The competencies include: accessing information and ideas; evaluating
information and ideas; organizing information and ideas; analyzing information
and ideas; conveying information and ideas; collaborating around information and
ideas; and securing information and ideas. This instrument follows this list of
competencies.

This instrument does not need to be completed during the
class; take it home with you to complete later.

Instructions

Be honest with yourself.

Take the self-assessment and assign yourself a score for each section. Score
yourself this way:

5 = I can do this well enough to teach someone
else4 = I can do this3 = I could
figure out how to do this on my own2 = I've done this, but
don't think I could do it again1 = I don't know how to do
this

Pencil in the score in the column titled Score then sum your
scores. Compare your score to the totals to see if you are competent or need
additional learning.

Do not turn in the self-assessment. It is for your eyes and
information only.

Getting Additional Information

If your overall score in any section is less than 40 and you
need additional materials on any competency area, contact Laura Larsson <larsson@u.washington.edu>. She is
writing training material to accompany this instrument.

1. Accessing
Information and Ideas

Score

a. I can ask
focused questions to inform my search for information.

b. I feel comfortable using my computer to retrieve information
I need to accomplish my work.

c. I know when to use the Web to search for information and when to use
a factual database like PubMed and I understand what types of information
appear on the Web and in a factual database.

d. I can use an
online library catalog to retrieve books, journals and journal
articles.

e. I know the
difference between an online search engine, a directory of sites, and a
metasearch engine.

f. I can select
appropriate content to support my research.

g. When I find a
site on the Web that I like or that has the information I need, I have
bookmarked that site so that I can go back to it later without having to
re-enter the entire address (URL).

h. Once I have
located relevant data or documents on the Web, I can download and view
those documents, graphics or presentations.

i. I have successfully searched for a topic in one of the large
health-related bibliographic databases (eg, PubMed, CHID, TOXNET, and
similar databases) and have retrieved relevant information effectively.

j. I understand what Medical Subject
Headings (MeSH) are and how to use MeSH in conjunction with relevant
Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to compose a PubMed search for the best
evidence on a topic.

TOTAL
SCORE Retrieving information and ideas (possible total of
50)

Scoring Section 1

If you scored above 45 points on this section,
you probably have the skill level you need.If you scored between 40
and 45 points, you seem to have a significant amount of familiarity
with these competencies. We suggest you continue to give yourself opportunities
to learn more about those competencies where you did not score 4 or above.If
you scored below 40, you should consider getting additional
training and/or experience.

2. Evaluating
Information and Ideas

Score

a. I know when it
is appropriate to use scholarly books or journal articles for a project
and when to use the more popular information from the Web.

b. I know when to
use primary sources of information and when to use secondary sources.

c. I can select information appropriate to the question(s) I am
researching.

d. I know which
public health and related Web sites have quality information for my
work.

e. I can evaluate the information I find on the Web for its quality;
i.e., evaluate its authority, accuracy, objectivity, coverage, currency
and design for my own information needs and for referring clients or
patients to.

f. I can
distinguish between fact, advocacy and opinion and can identify incorrect
or misleading information on the Web.

g. If I do not
know what a word or phrase means, I know how and where to find a
definition online.

h. I keep track
of where I have looked so that I can replicate my search on a topic at a
later time.

i. I apply the
same quality standards to my own work as I do to online content.

j. I understand
the basics of evidence-based public health practice.

TOTAL
SCORE Evaluating information and ideas (possible total of
50)

Scoring Section 2

If you scored above 45 points on this section,
you probably have the skill level you need.If you scored between 40
and 45 points, you seem to have a significant amount of familiarity
with these competencies. We suggest you continue to give yourself opportunities
to learn more about those competencies where you did not score 4 or above.If
you scored below 40, you should consider getting additional
training and/or experience.

3. Organizing
Information and Ideas

Score

a. I feel comfortable using my computer to organize information
or data.

b. I have
successfully classified, organized and stored documents into folders for
later retrieval.

c. I have
developed a method of organizing small pieces of text information
(snippets) for future retrieval and for managing email messages.

d. I use
appropriate software applications such as a spreadsheet for simple data
analysis, database managers for structured information and a word
processor or an HTML editor for creating documents to organize my text
information

e. I have a system in
place to record my thoughts and ideas for future retrieval.

f. I can create,
edit, and resize images/graphics for use in documents and presentations
and organize and store the resulting images for future use.

g. I can cite
most documents in an appropriate style when I create a list of references
or a bibliography.

h. I keep current
in my field by monitoring appropriate information sources and
technologies.

i. I can integrate prior knowledge with the new resources I have
discovered in my research (i.e, I can integrate new information into my
own knowledge base).

j. I use
information technology responsibly.

TOTAL
SCORE Organizing information and ideas (possible total of
50)

Scoring Section 3

If you scored above 45 points on this section,
you probably have the skill level you need.If you scored between 40
and 45 points, you seem to have a significant amount of familiarity
with these competencies. We suggest you continue to give yourself opportunities
to learn more about those competencies where you did not score 4 or above.If
you scored below 40, you should consider getting additional
training and/or experience.

4. Analyzing
Information and Ideas

Score

a. I feel comfortable using my computer to analyze data and
information.

b. I can extract
and manipulate data and information in a variety of formats.

c. I know what a
spreadsheet is, why spreadsheets are used in public health for data
analysis and data visualization, and how to use a spreadsheet
efficiently.

d. I can ask relevant questions of my data.

e. I can
determine which information I have gathered satisfies the research
question or information need and provides appropriate evidence for the
topic.

f. I use diverse
sources of information to answer questions and compare information from
these sources carefully to get the best or most appropriate.

g. The
information/data I use has been gleaned from diverse sources and
disciplines (if appropriate).

h. I have
extracted data from the National Center for Health Statistics CD-ROMs or
from their Web site or from local or state assessment data to prove or
disprove hypotheses through analysis of appropriately selected
data.

i. I know when
and where to incorporate data into an assessment document article, or
presentation.

j. I know that
Geographic Information Systems can be used to map and analyze spatial data
to display health problems or concerns.

TOTAL
SCORE Analyzing information and ideas (possible total of
50)

Scoring Section 4

If you scored above 45 points on this section,
you probably have the skill level you need.If you scored between 40
and 45 points, you seem to have a significant amount of familiarity
with these competencies. We suggest you continue to give yourself opportunities
to learn more about those competencies where you did not score 4 or above.If
you scored below 40, you should consider getting additional
training and/or experience.

5. Conveying
Information and Ideas

Score

a. I feel comfortable using my computer to present data and
information to others.

b. I use a communication medium and format appropriate to my
audience and to the content; i.e., I know when it is appropriate to post
information to the Web and when to create a presentation or word processed
document for disseminating information.

c. I can use a
word processing application to create reports and documents.

d. I have created
a presentation for a class or professional meeting using presentation
software to change policy or minds, or to inform.

f. I can create a PDF document from a word processed document,
presentation, or spreadsheet.

g. I can write an
article for publication in a newsletter, journal or on the Web.

h. I can convert
a word processed document to an HTML document for use on the Web.

i. I write and
use culturally appropriate content written at an appropriate grade level
for my audience.

j. I can convey
my thoughts verbally one-on-one or in a group.

TOTAL
SCORE Presenting information and ideas (possible total of
50)

Scoring Section 5

If you scored above 45 points on this section,
you probably have the skill level you need.If you scored between 40
and 45 points, you seem to have a significant amount of familiarity
with these competencies. We suggest you continue to give yourself opportunities
to learn more about those competencies where you did not score 4 or above.If
you scored below 40, you should consider getting additional
training and/or experience.

6.
Collaborating with others on Information and Ideas

Score

a. I know when to
communicate via telephone, email, chat, or instant messaging.

b. I have set up my own email account and use it
regularly.

c. I can send,
delete, reply to and print email messages can attach documents to email
messages.

d. I can
download, open, view and save a document attached to an email message to a
folder.

e. I can
subscribe to and unsubscribe from a professional online discussion group
and have participated in the discussions in one or more professional
online discussion groups.

f. I can use my
word processor's Track Changes feature to collaborate on
authoring documents.

g. I know how to
criticize other's work constructively and am not afraid to do so.

h. I collaborate
with others in person and through appropriate technology to identify
problems, analyze them and create solutions to those problems.

i. I have filled
out an online survey or poll successfully.

j. I have
actively participated in a Web-based training seminar or
workshop.

TOTAL
SCORE Collaborating around information and ideas (possible
total of 50)

Scoring Section 6

If you scored above 45 points on this section,
you probably have the skill level you need.If you scored between 40
and 45 points, you seem to have a significant amount of familiarity
with these competencies. We suggest you continue to give yourself opportunities
to learn more about those competencies where you did not score 4 or above.If
you scored below 40, you should consider getting additional
training and/or experience.

7. Securing
Information and Ideas (Personal and Client Security)

Score

a. I change my
email account and other passwords frequently (at least every 120 days) to
keep those accounts secure.

b. I password
protect sensitive personal data and do not share my passwords with
colleagues.

c. I do not put
my passwords where others can find them (i.e., I do not write them down in
my card file or post on my computer).

d. I back up my
important documents regularly to another disk or to CD-ROM to protect my
work.

e. Many software applications enable users to make backup copies of
important documents. I have enabled the backup feature of selected
applications as I work on critical documents .

f. I understand
the difference between backing up (current information) and archiving (old
information) and when to archive or backup my work.

g. I follow HIPAA
standards and regulations in relation to personal health data.

h. I can empty
the disk and memory cache on my browser to free up space on my hard drive
and to keep the casual browser from seeing the Web sites I have visited in
my search for information.

i. I understand
the (increased) risks to privacy, loss of data, and to intellectual
property rights associated with information environments relying on
electronic technologies.

j. I use information ethically (i.e., I cite where I got
information/data from and respect the intellectual property rights of
others).

TOTAL
SCORE Securing information and ideas

Scoring Section 7

If you scored above 45 points on this section,
you probably have the skill level you need.If you scored between 40
and 45 points, you seem to have a significant amount of familiarity
with these competencies. We suggest you continue to give yourself opportunities
to learn more about those competencies where you did not score 4 or above.If
you scored below 40, you should consider getting additional
training and/or experience.